The latest happy S300 owner

Bart,

It takes a bit to admit you got it wrong sometimes, though it's certainly the way to go if you are to get the best system you can afford. That's where the local dealer comes in, he makes allowances for lend/return, and knows you end up with the right kit in the end.

 

Pete H,
And therein lies the beauty of not being a lottery millionaire, if you had all that cash you'd be rushing around buying kit like Elton J one day, and bored to bit's the next. Long live the desire to upgrade, keeps it all in focus!
(I assume in making this post you are neither a 1. Lottery Millionaire. 2. Elton John)

 

Actually I think I'm past that for this week at least, and hopefully for considerably longer than that - it really is sounding terrific now. Time to relax and enjoy the music methinks...

 

Glad you're enjoying the S300 Pete. If you are anything like me you won't be upgrading for quite some time now.

Btw the remote and power cable are in the post - should be with you tomorrow.

 

Pete

Are you running the power amp from a 4 way multigang along with the rest of your kit?

Sometimes just running an extension socket from another plug just for the amp will reduce/remove hums. You could be experiencing an earthloop.

Chris

 

Cheers stumblin - I'll keep an eye out for it.

The amp's plugged straight into the wall via a kettle lead. I have got a RA Yello (the guy who sold me the S500 had lost the stock lead ) - tell you what, I'll try swapping the kettle lead onto the CDP and the Yello onto the amp and report back what happens. If I can be bothered to crawl in amongst all the plastic spaghetti again that is

 

Hold on, I think things are getting cross-purpose here. Earthloops will create hum audible through the speakers. The S300 hum is mechanical, from the transformers, although if you wind the volume control to the top and put your ear to the cone, you can hear some 100Hz sawtooth, but 50Hz doesn't really feature.

 

That's sort of what I figured, Isaac, although my electrical knowledge is basically zero so I wouldn't have used the big words

 

The S300 hums - it's just one of it's characteristics. No amount of isolation trannies or any other voodoo will cure it. Still an excellent amp though

Michael.

 

Pete, I think that the little laid back highs are not S300 fault, in my opinion the S500 is the main reason.

I had the same kit as you, S300 and S500i and I feel the same experience with the sound as you posted before. My S500i replaced my already sold Creek CD53, and the overall balance of sound was very different as the sound with the nad. Using the creek the sound turns brilliant and some times metallic, mids were not as present as s500, and there was not low at all. Creek CD53 and NAD S300 is not a good match. This is the reason I think that the S300 is very source dependable and use to show everything, without a noticeable coloration, at least to my hears.

A photo of my actual kit with the most recent addition, a tweaked Philips 963 used as a SACD player.



All the best.

Gustavo

 

My Marantz 66 KI Signature amp also has an intermittent hum caused by the transformer. Bloody irritating it is too at times. I can guarantee when its about to kick in, as its when the sodding washing machine downstairs kicks into high gear during a spin! It does hum at other times, though not as bad as it did. Its annoying cause aside from that I'm now reasonably happy with the sound from the system. Sure I could spend some £££'s but in the context of my room there probably wouldn't be a lot of point.

Congratulations on the Nad btw.